Summary of Vermont Lemon Law
Vermont’s lemon laws state that if the buyer or lessee of a vehicle finds a major fault in it – which the manufacturers are unable to fix even after 3 valid attempts by the vehicle manufacturer to repair it – the manufacturer is liable to repurchase or replace the faulty vehicle. This law applies to the vehicle throughout its express warranty period, and if the vehicle is still under its warranty period and meets the eligibility criteria as specified by Vermont’s state laws, the owner of the vehicle can claim their lemon aid and demand the manufacturers to provide them with the necessary reimbursement, in the form of a refund or replacement of the faulty vehicle through arbitration. The repurchase costs will also cover any additional costs the owner underwent while purchasing the vehicle.
Lemon Eligibility in Vermont
To be eligible for a lemon aid, the consumer should file the problem within 1 year after the vehicle has been brought to them. The law covers most vehicles, but Vermont’s lemon law has a strict list of vehicles that are not eligible for a lemon aid. This includes tractors, highway building vehicles, road-making vehicles such as cement mixers, snowmobiles, motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and trucks over 12,000 lbs. RVs may be eligible, but the lemon law will only cover the chassis. The living portions of RVs are not included.
Nonconforming Conditions of Lemon Law in Vermont
A nonconforming condition, or defect, is one that significantly affects the vehicle’s use, value, or safety. In Vermont, a motor arbitration board judges whether the defect is serious enough to warrant a lemon aid or not. However, all nonconformities to the manufacturer’s express warranty must be followed and repaired within the warranty’s eligibility period.
Vermont Lemon Law Repairs
Vermont’s lemon law requires a minimum of three valid attempts for defects stated under repair order before it can take effect. However, the manufacturer can be held liable under lemon law if the defect has not been repaired within one valid attempt within the express warranty.
The manufacturer will also be held liable if the vehicle has been under repairs for a cumulative of 30 days. This can be adjusted in case a natural disaster affects the manufacturer’s ability to repair or deliver the vehicle within this period.
Lemon Law Compensation in Vermont
A consumer awarded a lemon aid can be given two options. The first is to have a replacement vehicle of similar value, or a better one in which the difference in value will be paid for by the consumer. The second option is to have a full refund of the costs regarding the purchase of the vehicle, which also includes registration fees, collateral cost, and other fees. The tax paid in regard to the purchase will be refunded by the state to whoever paid it.
Vermont Lemon Law on Used Vehicles
Vermont’s lemon law also covers used vehicles. However, the defect should still be reported within the vehicle’s eligibility period which starts from the first owner. This might not be the case when the vehicle has been resold a few days before the warranty ends.
Other Vermont Laws